Grading, fleshing, and evening machine



Jan; 14, 1930. A. COGSWELL 1,743,321

GRADING, FLESHING, AND EVENING MACHINE Filed April 25, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 14, 1930. 1.. A. COGS'WEL-L 1,743,321

GRADING, FLESHING, AND EVENING MACHINE Filed April 25, 1925 4 sheets-sheet 2 HIHI" N ll. I 4. Jear 7% rue l Z $525 Jan. 14, 1930. L, A COGSWELL I 1,743,321

GRADING, FLESHING, AND EVENING MACHINE Filed A ri 'zs, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet a Patented Jan. 14, 1930 UNITED STATS rrr.

LEANDER A. COGSXVELL, OF MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR TO LACENE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF MANCHESTER, N EW HAMPSHIRE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE GRADING, FLESI-IING, AND EVENING MACHINE Application filed April 25, 1925. Serial No. 25,922.

In my application Serial No. 720,215, filed June 16, 1924, for a grading, fleshing and evening machine, I described a machine capable of fleshing and grading (as by marking) only blanks of a thickness grade beteween predetermined upper and lower limits, and of grading (as by marking) without fleshing all blanks of a grade below the predetermined lower limit of thickness, and of evening all blanks above the predetermined upper limit of thickness down to such predetermined upper limit, and grading them (as by marking).

There was no provision, however, in my said former machine, for producing blanks in which the variation of thickness in different parts of each individual blank would be kept within predetermined limits, except as defined by said predetermined upper limit to which all blanks are to be evened down, and no provision for producing blanks of different thickness grades in which the permissible variation in each blank would be kept within the same predetermined limits for different blanks of different thickness grades.

For example, if the machine of my said former application is set to skive all lanks having spots or areas over 8 irons in thickness down to a maximum thickness of 8 irons, a 4 iron blank (the grade of a blank is determined by its thickness measurement at the thinnest spot felt by the detector) may vary in thickness in different parts. from 4: to 8 irons, i. e. a variation of i irons in the same '5' piece of stock; or a 6 iron blank may vary in different parts from 6 to 8 irons, i. e. a variation of 2 irons in the same piece of stock, and so on. That is, the possible variations in different blanks of different thickness grades will all differ, and the upper limitof the permissible variation in any piece of stock irrespective of its grade will be set only by said predetermined upper limit to which all,

lanks are to be evened down.

For some purposes such variations in the thickness of different parts of a blank, and such lack of uniformity in the thickness variations of different blanks of different grades, are not objectionable; but' for other purposes they are.

For instance, a shoe manufacturer may wish to produce inner soles of different grades in which the maximum variation in thickness shall be the same for all blanks of whatever to designate a unit of thickness measurement is inch.

facturer may wish to provide for a maximum variation of one predetermined amount in soles of a grade above a speclfied grade or measurement, but to permit another and larger variation in thinner soles, i. e. soles of a'grade below said specified grade or measurement. Said specified grade measurement which constitutes the dividing line between the thicker class and the thinner class of blanks may be selected according to the material of which the blanks are made, or the uses to which the finished blanks are to be put,

or it might even be arbitrarily selected. Furthermore in the lower or thinner grades of stock it may be desirable that the permis- Again, as a further refinement, the manusible variation in thickness should be in? creased progressively as the stock becomes thinner. The reason why it may be desirable to permit greater variation in the thickness of the lighter or thinner pieces of stock than in the heavier or thicker pieces of 'stock is that the thinner stock is usually of softer and looser texture and of inferior quality, and the more material skived off the more flimsy it becomes. It may therefore be desirable to skive ofifrom very thin pieces as little as is consistent with the uses to which they are to be put. In practice the uses of such thin or low grade stock may and often do admit of considerably more variation in thickness than is consistent with the more exacting uses of the thicker and higher grades. t is therefore a further object of the invention to provide means, to set one limit to the maximum permissible variation of.

. which illustrate a preferred embodiment of V the wedge the invention, v

Fig. 1 is an end'elevation of the rear or "delivery end of the machine, corresponding to the View in Fig. 4 of my said application Serial No. 720,215';

Fig. '2 is an enlarged view partly in section of the upper-part of Fig. 1;

Fig-s3, t, 5, 6and 7 illlustrate various positions of the stepped wedge blocks or inclines presently to be described; and

Figs, 3 1 5*, 6 and 7 illustrate in diagram the positions of the skiving rolls corresponding respectively to the positions of blocks shown in Figs. 3 to 7 As the present invention is applicable particularly though not exclusively, to a inachine of the kind'shovvn in my said application Serial No. 720,215, I have adopted that type 'of machine for the purpose of il-lustra tion and have shown in "the drawings only such parts of'the machine as are necessary "to an understanding of the 'novel features of the present invention. For a description of the general construction and 'operatlon of the ma-' ehineas a whole I refer to my said application Serial No. 720,215.. For convenience of reference also I will use the same reference numerals, so far as applicable, as used in my said' forme'r application. I

The'skiv'in'g and delivery rolls 1'6 and 17 and the slaving or splitting knife 18 may be substantially thesarne as shown in my said former application; also the cross bar. 541 and the journal boxes '55, 55 for the upper roll 16'and'theci'oss bar on the under side ofthe journal boxes 64, 64 of the'lower roll 17; also thefsprings66 and supporting structure for the cross bar 65 also the slide bar 33 and the supplemental bar' '51 with their respective stops and connections, and the fixed yoke 60 on top of the machine frame. y

It will be understood that the slide bar 33 is adjusted endwise on the cross head of the machine frame in accordance with the thinness detections of the feeler rolls "(not shown) at the front of the machine, and that said slide 33 adjusts the grade marking wheel (not shown) if used, and also the upper wedge blocks 50, 50 carried by slide 33, as explained in my said former application. The lower wedge blocks 53, 58 are fixed to the cross bar 54, which is carried by the journal boxes of the upper skiving roll 16. I

Two plungers 56, 5'6 'e'zite'nd downward through openings in the cross rail 57 of the machine frame also through a slot 33l in the slide bar 33. These plungers 56 have collars or flanges 56 at the top to act as stops when they engage the cross rail 57.

Two heavy springs 58, 58 press the plungers downward, and bear at their upper ends against abutments 59, which are loose on bolts 1'00 and are adjustable by means of stop nuts 101 and lock nuts 102. The bolts 100 are threaded through yoke 60, and may be locked in their adjusted position by nuts 103. The lower ends of bolts 100 form abut-- m'ents or stops for'pl'ungers 56 as hereinafter explained, and are normally spaced a predetermined distance according to the work required ofthe machine, say about 3 irons'in the example presently to be given, from the top surface of the plungers 56.

As in the machine of my said former application, the upper springs58 are weaker than the lower springs 66 and will consequently yield in the operation of the machine to the limit 'of' m'ovement of the plungers 56 before any compression of the lower springs 66'takes place. i V

The upper n edge blocks 50 are each made with the usual stepped incline 104, (see Figs. 3 to 7) the steps of which are one-half iron in height to conform to the usual standard of measurement and classification of the leather stock in terms of irons and half irons. 'At

the top of the incline is a fiat or horizontal surface 105 of a length equal to the length of the flat surface of two steps of the incline. A recess 106 is out in the upper block, at the opposite end of the flat surface- 105 to the incline, to form a clearance for the hi 'h point of the opp'osite'wedg'e block 53 in certain po- .s'itions of the parts.

' Each of the lowe'r 'wedge blocks 53 also has a stepped incline 107 corresponding to the stepped inclines 104 of the upper blocks, and a flat horizontal surface 108 at the top of the incline, two steps long, like the flat surface 105. The lower blocks also have a recess 109 are also to be so skived or evened as to keep the maximum variation in thickness in any one blank down to a predetermined amount, say 1 iron. Assume further that all blanks below said assumed grade of 5 irons are to be skived or evened to keep the maximum variation in thickness in any one blank down to a different predetermined amount, which amount is greater than the variation permissible in the thicker blanks, and which amount is to increase progressively as the blanks become thinner. And assume further that of all blanks below said assumed grade of 5 irons, those of a grade above a predetermined measurement, say 3 irons, are also to be fleshed, and those of the grade of 3 or less are not to be fleshed as to any areas measuring not more than 3 irons. g

It will be understood that all of the aforesaid assumed measurements are by way of example only and may be altered without departing from the principle of the invention.

To accomplish the objects stated, in the assumed example, the stop bolts 100 are adjusted and set so as to space their ends substantially 3 irons from the tops of plungers 56, and the shoulders 109 of the lower wedge blocks 53 are built up by shims 110 of such height that the abutment surfaces of 110 are iron below the flat top surfaces 108.

The machine is so adjusted and the wedge blocks are relatively so disposed that when a sole with the flesh on it measures or grades 3 irons in thickness at its thinnest spot as determined by the detecting device, the upper wedge blocks will be adjusted through the usual setting mechanism which shifts the slide bar 33 to the position shown in Fig. 3, with the fiat surfaces 105 of the upper blocks in the first position to the left of the flat surfaces 108 and opposite abutments 110 in the shoulders of the lower blocks. This may be termed the first position.

The vertical space between the upper and a lower wedge blocks in the first position when no sole or blank is present, is such that when the upper skiving roll is lifted by a blank 3 irons thick, the abutment surfaces 110 of the lower blocks will just engage without pressure (or will just miss engaging) the flat surfaces 105 of the upper wedge blocks as shown in Fig. 3, the upper roller 16 then being separated 3 irons from the lower roller '17 by the blank as shown in Fig. 3

' The edge of the fleshing knife 18 is usually spaced about iron from the surface of the lower roller 17 so as to skive off iron from the flesh side of the blank when the fleshing action takes place; but in order to be acted upon by the knife the blank must be held down under pressure from above against the lower roller 17 and knife 18. Consequently under the conditions stated with the parts in the first position any part of the blank measuring not over 3 irons thick, not being with the flat surfaces 105 of the upper blocks 50, against the pressure of springs 58, and such thicker areas now being held under yielding pressure against the lower roller and knife will be fleshed to the depth of iron, (that i being the spacing between the edge of knife 18 and the roller 17 if the thicker areas areor more in excess of the assumed 3 iron thicknesswhich is to be allowed to pass unskived, or will be fleshed down to said 3 iron thickness if the thicker areas are less than iron in excess of said 3 iron thickness. And in case any thicker spots exceed the said 3 iron thickness by more than the yielding limit of the plungers 56, which was assumed for illustration to be"'3 irons, the plungers 56 will be stopped by the ends of the stop bolts 100 and thereafter such thicker areas will press the lower roller 17 downward against springs 66 and cause a thicker skiving to be cut off, thus insuring that the thickness of the thickest areas of the finished blank will not exceed said 3% irons by more than the amount determined by the extent of the yield of the plungers 56, that is, 3 irons. It will therefore be seen that any spot of the blank measuring only 3 irons in thickness will pass through the skiving mechanism without being cut, any area more than 3 irons thick and not more than 6 irons thick will be fleshed; and any spot more than 6 irons thick will be evened down to 6 irons.

If the'detected grade of a blank is less than 3 irons the slide bar 33 will be shifted farther to the left (Fig. 2) by the detecting mechanism a distance equal to the width of one step of the stepped wedges for each half iron less in the detected thickness, with the result that the flat surfaces 105 of the upper wedge blocks will remain opposite the elon gated abutment surfaces 110 of the lower wedge blocks, but said thinner stock will not lift the lower wedge blocks into engagement with the upper blocks unless and until a spot of 3 ironsor more in thickness enters between the rollers. For areas more than 3 thickness of the thickest spot. As already explained, in very thin blanks it is desirable not to skive off any material from areas of less than a predetermined thickness, (3 irons in the assumed example) and although as the blanks become thinner this results in a progressively greater variation between the thinnest spot and the predetermined maxi mum thickness of the thicker spots, such variation is permissible for most uses of the thinner and inferior grades, and no material is lost from those areas which are too thin and flimsy to be further weakened.

1' Referring now to the action of the machine on blanks of a detected grade of more than 3 irons at the thinnest spot measured by the detecting device, a iiron blank will shift the slide bar 33 and theupper wedge blocks to the. position shown in Fig. 1 with the right hand'half of the flat surfaces 105 of the upper blocks opposite the left hand half of the flatsurfaces 108 of the lower blocks. This may. be termed the second position. l V'h'en the blank 4 irons thick is between the skiving rollers, theaupper roller will of course be lifted by the blank 4; irons from the lower roller; but as soon asthe upper rollerhas of the upper roller,-wil1 similarly be fleshed,

but any areas exceeding 6 irons inthickness will be evened down to .6 irons since the upper roller will be stopped bythe stop bolts 100 at 6 irons separation from the lower roller and after that the lower rolle'r will yield downwardly. Thus a 4 iron blank will be fleshed as to. any :area from lto 6 irons inelusive, and anyarea over 6 irons thick will be evened down to 6 irons, permitting a max- 7 i mum variation in thickness of 2 irons; and the thicker the area being cut the greater the pressureon the blank.

Fig. 4 represents diagrammatically the position of the skiving rollers for a 1 iron blank, "corresponding to the position of the wedge blocks in Fig. 4; the solid line of upper roller 16 indicating a separation of 4 irons from the lower roller, the dotted li-ne'representing the position of the upper roller when the wedge blocks first engage at 3 irons separa-tio'n, and the distance, 1 iron, between said two positions representing 1 ironpressure.

Ad iron blank will shift the slide bar and the upper wedge blocks 50 to the position shown in Fig. with the whole of the flat-"surfaces 105 of the upper blocks directly opposite the whole of the flat surfaces 108 of the lower blocks. This may be termed the third position. As before, the "blocks will first engage when the rollers are separated 3 irons-z but as the blank is a 4 iron blank the area.

Fig. 5 represents diagrammatically the position of the rollers corresponding to the position of the wedge blocks in Fig. '5, the 7 solid line as beforeindicating the elevation of the roller caused by the blank 1 irons),

the dotted line indicating the position at the:

first engagement of the wedge blocks (3 irons) and the drfierence between them indicating the pressure of 1 1IOI1S.. As the blank is little thicker than in the previous position a little more pressure isrequired to 1nsurethe proper skiving, ust described.

A 5 iron blank will shift the slide 33 and the upper wedge blocks to the position shown in Fig. 6' with the left hand half of the fiat sur faces 105 of the upper wedge blocks opposite the right hand half of the flat surfaces 108 of the lower wedge blocks. This may be termed the fourth position. As the blank is a iron blank, and as the wedge blocks engage at a .8 iron separation ofthe rollers, we now have a 2 iron pressure exerted on the blank by the springs 58. Thus a .5 iron blank will be fleshed as to any area from 5 to the maximum of 6 irons, a thickness variation of 1 iron, and any area over 6 irons thick will be evened down to 6 irons, with increasing pressure the thicker the area.

6 as before, is a diagram ofthe position'of the rollers corresponding to the-position of the wedge blocks of Fig. 6, the solid line representing the elevation of the upper roller by the blank (5 irons), the dotted line representing the position of the roller at the first, engagement of the wedge blocks (3 irons) and the difference between them representing the pressure (2 irons). i

A 5 iron blank will shift the slide .33 and the upper wedge blocks to the positionshown in Fig. 7 with the fiat surfaces 105 of the upper blocks opposite thc'first steps of the lower blocks, and the first steps of the upper blocks opposite the flat surfaces 1080f the lower blocks. This may be termed the fifth position. wedge blocks are ,4; iron high. Hence the wedge blocks will not engage until the'upper roller has been lifted by the stock 3% irons above the lower roller, and in lifting the roller the remaining 2 irons the 5 iron blank will be placed under 2 irons pressureas in the fourth position; and as the upper wedge blocks may still yield one more iron before being arrested by the stop bolts 100, the maximum thickness to which thethicker areas will and is obtained as As already stated the steps of the in the thickness of the blank.

be skived or evened down is 6 irons, thus maintaining the maximum variation in thickness at 1 iron. I

Fig. 7 as before, is a diagram of the position of the rollers corresponding to the position of the Wedge blocks of Fig. 7 the solid line representing the elevation of the roller 16 by the blank (5 irons), the dotted line representing the position of the roller at the first engagement of the wedge blocks (now 3 irons) and the difference between them representing the pressure (2 irons).

It is found in practice that2 irons pressure with springs 58 of the proper stiffness is usually suflicient for even the heaviest stock.

Thicker blanks than 5% iron blanks. will position the slide 33 to the right, one step for each half iron increase in the detected thickness of the blank, and as the wedge blocks thus step down iron for each iron increase in thickness of the blank, the separation of the rollers before the wedge blocks come into engagement will correspondingly increase iron for each increase of iron Therefore there will never be more than 2 irons pressure exerted on the blank by the springs 58, and there never will be more than 1 iron variation between the thinnestand thickest spot in the finished blank. For example, a 6 iron blank will step the wedge blocks down one step farther; therefore pressure will remain the same and the separation of the rollers before the upper wedge blocks are stopped by bolts 100 will be. iron greater than in the fifth position, or 7 irons. Hence from the fourth position, Fig. 6, upward the action of the skiving mechanism willbe the same in respect to pressure and maximum permissible variation in thickness on all blanks irrespective of their grade, at least until further upward movement of the upper roll is arrested by the adjustable stops 62, 62, which are mounted on the ends of cross bar 54. The stops 62 limit the upward movement of roll 16 by abutting against the under side of slide 33, or preferably against hardened plates on the under prising skiving mechanlsm adapted to flesh side of slide 33, when slide 33 is shifted to the right far enough to separate the wedge blocks 50 and 53 more than a predetermined distance.

Although for the purposes of illustration I have adopted one iron as the maximum permissible variation in thickness in any given piece of stock of the thicker grades, it will beunderstood that if it is desired to permit a maximum thickness variation of a greater or less amount than one iron the bolts 100 may be set to provide a greater or less clearancebetween the ends of the bolts and the j prising a grade detecting device, a skiving knife and two opposed blank engaging memtops of plungers 56.

It will also be understood that by altering the normal separation of the wedge blocks when no blank is between the rollers, and

consequently altering the extent of'separation of the rollers permitted before the wedge blocks come into contact, the upper limit of grade of the blanks which are to pass through unskived may be altered, also the pressures exerted on the upper roller after the wedge blocks engage one another. Also the abutment surfaces of the wedge blocks formed by the shims 110 may be raised or lowered by substituting shims of differentthickness, or by adding or subtracting one ormore shims of uniform thickness with a corresponding change in the measurements of the resulting blanks. Many objects of the invention may be realized if the abutment surface of 110 is on the same level with the fiat surface 108. In fact all of the aforesaid illustrative measurements may be varied without departing from the principle of the invention.

I claim:

1; A'machine of the kind described comprising a grade detecting device, a skiving knife and two opposed blank engaging mem- .bers of which one at least is movable toward and from the other, an abutment carried by said movable blank engaging member, a coacting, adjustable, yielding abutment adapt- .ed to respond to the grade detecting device,

and a stop for the adjustable abutment to limit the'yielding movement thereof.

2. A machine of the kind describedcom- --variation in thickness in different parts of the same blank within predetermined limits.

3. A machine of the kind described comprising skiving mechanism for skiving blanks of different grades, and means for controlling the skiving mechanism adapted to cause the skiving mechanismto flesh all blanks whose 4 grade is within predetermined maximum and minimum limits of thickness, .and to even blanks of different grades down to the same predetermined maximum hmit of thickness -in excess of their respective grades.

4-. A machine of the kind described'comall blanks whose grade is within predetermined maximum and minimum l1m1ts of thickness and to even any blanks above the predetermined maximum limit down to the predetermined maxlmum l1m1t, and other means adapted to cause the skiving mechanism to even blanks of certain lower grades I 'down to another predetermlned upper llmit less than the first mentioned predetermlned maximum limit. I

5. A machine of the kind described C0111- prising a detecting device, skiving mechanismi' ed to" respond to the grade detecting: device,

'and arr adjustable stopfor the: adjustable abutment to limit and vary the yieldingmove= ment thereof, Y I V V GL A- machine of the kind described comprising a detecting device, skiving'mechani sm" for ski ving blanks of different grades, and adjustable means responsiveto the detecting device fori controlling" the skiving mechanism adapted to cause the sk-iving mechanism to confinethe' variation: in thickness in d ifiere'ntparts of the same'blankwithin predetermined but variable limits.

7 A machine of the kind described comprising skivingf mechanism including. a skiving knife and two opposed, blank engaging members movable toward and from each other, an abutment carried by one: of said b l izl lk; engagingmembers and a co a'cting. adjustable abutment adapted to respondto a grade detecting device, means to exert yielding'pres'sure on: said adjustable abutment and consequently on" the latter blank engaging grade detecting device, means to exert yieldingpressure on said adjustable abutment and consequently on the latter blank engaging member when said: abutmentsare in engagement, an adjustable stop for the adjustable abutment tolimit and vary the yielding movement thereof,an'd means to exertopposed and greater yielding pressure on the other blank engaging member. 7

9. A machine of the kind described comprising skiving mechanism including a skiving knife and two opposed blank engaging members movable toward and: from each other, a Wedge-like abutment carried by one of said blank ei'iga'gin'g members, an adjustable-slide bar adapted to respond to a grade detecting device, a co-acting vvedg e=like abutment carried by and movable upon said slide bar, means to exertyielding pressure on said latter abutment and consequently on the latc ter blank engaging member when said a:but-

ments are in engagement, a stop for the last named abutment to limit the yielding movenient thereof, and means to exert opposed and greater'yieldmg pressure on the other blank engaging; member.

10; A machine of the kind described comprising skiving. mechanism including a skivknife two opposed: blank engaging members movable toward and from! each other; a wedge-like abutment carried by one of said blank engagingmembers,ansad -usu able 'slide baradapted torespond to a grade rollers movable toward" and from: each other,

an adjustable slidebar adapted torespond to a grade detecting device, a' wedgebar carried by the slide bar'and Vertically movable thereon between the slide'ba r andthe upper roller,

w'ecl'ge li-ke abutmentson thewedge bar and co-acting wedge-like abutments carried by the upper roller, one or'more spring pressed members adapted to exert yielding pressure on the wedge bar and consequently on the upper roller, a'stop'to engage said spring pressed members and to limit the upward movement thereof, and means to exert opposed and greater yielding pressure on the lower roller.

12'. A machine of the kind described comprising. skivingj mechanism including a skiving: knife" and two opposed blank engaging rollers movable toward andfrom each other, an' adjustable slidebar adapted to respond to a grade detecting device, a wedge'bar carried by the slide'bar and vertically movable thereon between the slide bar and the upper roller, wedge like abutme-ntson the wedge bar, and

oo-acting wedge-like abutments carried by the upper roller, one or more spring pressed plungers extending throughslots in the slide bar adapted to exert yielding pressure on the wedge bar and consequently onitheupper roller, adjustable stop bolts adapted to engage the tops of said plungers to limit their upward movement, and means to exert opposed and greater yielding pressure on the lower roller. 7

'13-, A machine of the kind described comprising skiving mechanism including relatively movable upper and lower blank engaging members and a ski'ving' knife, a wedge block carried the upper blank engaging member and a (so-acting adjustable wedge block for controlling the extent of separation member, each wedge block having a'flat horizontal top surface and a stepped incline at one side of said flat top, and one at least of said blocks having a shoulder at the other side ofsaid flat topadapted to form an abutment for the flat top surface of theopposed Wedge of the upper from the lower blank engaging block in a certain relative position of adj ustment of the blocks.

14. A machine of the kind described comprising skiving mechanism including relatively movable upper and lower blank engaging members and a skiving knife, a Wedge block carried by the upper blank engaging member and a co-acting adjustable Wedge block for controlling the extent of separation or" the upper from the lower blank engaging member, each Wedge block having a flat horizontal top surface and a stepped incline at one side of said fiat top, and one at least of said blocks having a horizontal shoulder at the other side of said flat top of such length as to form an abutment for the fiat top surface of the op posed Wedge block in a number of difierent relative positions of adjustment of the blocks.

15. A machine of the kind described comprising skiving mechanism including relatively movable upper and lower blank engaging members and a skiving knife, a Wedge block carried by the upper blank engaging member and a co-acting adjustable Wedge block for controlling the extent of separation of the upper from the lower blank engaging member, each Wedge block having a flat horizontal top surface and a stepped incline at one side of said flat top, and one at least of said blocks having a horizontal shoulder at the other side of said flat top, and means to vary the height of said shoulder With relation to the fiat top surface.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this twenty-second day of April, 1925.

LEANDER A. COGSVVELL. 

